GRAFTON - First and foremost, the people of Grafton want to ensure would-be visitors the town is still open for business.
Acting Grafton Police Chief Peggy O'Neil said this weekend's rains have caused water levels in Grafton to be on the rise, with a predicted flood crest of 27.5 feet coming this Wednesday. O'Neil said those levels would put some low-lying roads in Grafton as much as two feet underwater. That being said, O'Neil said she is bracing for minimal detours and delays.
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"There will be a couple of detours in place, but it should be relatively minor," she said.
The Grafton Chamber of Commerce also distributed an email to the people of Grafton to assist some of the local businesses in the flood zone, including Knotty by Nature, a wood-carving business, and a collection of apartments downtown, which could use some assistance moving large appliances. For the most part, O'Neil said Grafton is continuing to do what it always does in the seemingly annual floods.
Perhaps no one understands the flooding in Grafton as much as Steve Kasten, the owner of the Hawg Pit. Due to its location, the Hawg Pit is often the first place in the village to see flooding. As of mid-morning on Monday, Kasten and a group of dedicated friends had packed all of the Hawg Pit's essential equipment into trucks and trailers destined for storage.
"The water is already lapping at my backdoor," he said. "It will probably come in before too long and cover the floor."
With the predictions, Kasten expects as much as three feet of water on the floor of his business, but he has been prepared for that since taking the risk of opening a business so close to the river. The layout and wiring are both designed to withstand the inevitable flooding.
"We're the only one affected so far," he said. "But, it just hurts Grafton so much when the water comes over the main highway. I'm hurt by getting out, I know it, and I know I'm the first one. There are bypasses to go past the water on the road."
This week, Kasten was preparing to open his business seven days a week instead of only being open on the weekends.
On his last day of office, Grafton Mayor Tom Thompson said the water has come over the road at the Hawg Pit, and he had to take a minor detour. There will be an "emergency" flood management meeting at the Grafton Village Hall this evening. Thompson said newly-elected Grafton Mayor Rick Eberlin will be handling the brunt of the flood situation.
"People won't have any trouble coming into the Village of Grafton from Alton," he said.
If it gets past 27.4 feet the intersection of Route 3 and Highway 100 may be closed, but Thompson said he is waiting to see what happens. IDOT will place barriers if that barrier gets closed. While the forecast is a 27.5 foot crest, he said that has lowered from an original prediction of 27.9 feet, so he said he is optimistic.
"I talked to the Loading Dock, and they're not expecting to get any water," Thompson said. "If everything holds, all the businesses along the road by city hall are going to be open."
He said at the worst, the road from Grafton to Pere Marquette may be closed, causing people to have to take a detour through Powerline Road, located on the bluffs of Grafton.
